The present invention relates generally to the field of agricultural implements such as planters, seeders and other wide, foldable implements towed behind a work vehicle, such as a tractor.
Discs or cultivators, for example, are commonly towed behind tractors and may cover wide swaths of ground which may be tilled or untilled. Such implements typically loosen the soil, dislodge weeds, and reclose the soil in a single operation. To make the operation as efficient as possible, wide swaths of ground may be covered by extending wings on either side of a central section of the implement pulled by the tractor. These wings are commonly disposed in a floating arrangement during the farming operation, wherein the wing assemblies allow the implement to contact the soil as the implement is towed across varying elevations. As the wing assemblies encounter varying elevations, wheel assemblies including gauge wheels may be used to support the wing assemblies and the tools attached thereto. The gauge wheels may be disposed throughout the wing assemblies of the implement to support and control the height of the tools and frame of the floating wing assemblies.
The gauge wheels may feature mechanisms to allow the height of the wing assemblies and ground engaging tools to be adjusted depending on operating depths and other factors. Adjusting the height of the gauge wheels may be difficult or time consuming for a single operator due to the load placed on the gauge wheels of current implements. Further, during a farming operation debris may impact the gauge wheels and the adjustment mechanism, putting wear and tear on the entire assembly.